Joseph Hiersche of Chicopee sentenced to 15 years on child pornography charges

SPRINGFIELD - Joseph Hiersche of Chicopee was sentenced to 15 years in prison Thursday for child pornography charges that involved him secretly taking videos of naked children and attempting to sell them on the Internet.

The sentencing in U.S. District Court follows Hiersche, 40, pleading guilty in November to seven counts of sexual exploitation of a child, receipt of child pornography and possession of child pornography, according to a statement issued by the office of U.S. Attorney Carmen Ortiz.

In addition to the prison sentence, Judge Denise J. Casper ordered him to serve 10 years probation after his release.

According to prosecutors, from March 2010 through March 2012, Hiersche downloaded several pornographic images of children from the Internet. He also used hidden cameras to secretly record footage of naked children. These he made into a video in order to send them to someone with whom Hiersche had established a relationship over the Internet.

The identities of the children and their relationship to Hiersche was not disclosed.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex J. Grant of U.S. Attorney's Springfield branch unit.